Officers from the UKBA, who are based permanently at the site in Stratford, East London, made 93 arrests between April and late November, 85 of which involved suspected immigration offences.

 

A total of 41 people were arrested after using fake passports or other false documents.

 

It is understood 23 people have already been removed from the UK.

 

The arrests will highlight protesters' claims that 2012 bosses are using cheap agency workers, often from overseas, in breach of labour agreements.

 

Tony Smith, senior director for the UKBA's Olympic 2012 programme, said: "The UK Border Agency has officers based permanently at the Olympic site to check the identity of people seeking work and help ensure the Games are delivered on time, with a workforce legally entitled to be there.

 

"We're working closely with employers and contractors, giving presentations and advising them what checks they need to make to prevent illegal working.

 

"My officers offer forgery awareness training and conduct visits to businesses to ensure that their policies and procedures are up-to-date.

 

"By working with other agencies we can help make the Olympics a safe and enjoyable event for all."

 

Of those arrested on suspicion of immigration offences, 32 were from India, 12 from Nigeria and seven from the Ukraine, the UKBA figures showed.

 

The rest included four from both Brazil and Kosovo, three from Moldova, and two each from Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Albania.

 

The remaining 17 were described as "others".

 

A further eight people who were entitled to work in the UK were arrested for using false documents to obtain work.

 

Three of these were British, including one journalist, ITN reporter Chris Rogers (pictured), who was seeking to expose lax security at the site.

 

In May, workers held a demonstration outside the site to call for them to be employed directly rather than through agencies.

 

The protest also pressed the case for jobs including electricians and steel erectors to be offered to workers in the local community.

 

The arrests were made before the potential workers were able to access the Olympic site, a UKBA spokesman said.

 

The "vast majority" of arrests took place at the dedicated screening centre at the Olympic Park, a UKBA spokeswoman said.

 

A spokesman for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said: "Media reports today give the impression that the UK Borders Agency has removed people working illegally on the Olympic Park.

 

"In the vast majority of cases those arrested have not done a minute's work on the park.

 

"They have been arrested before setting foot on the site through the screening checks set up for all potential workers.

 

"UKBA have been on site for almost two years checking documentation for workers before they can gain employment on the park. In this way we make sure that only those legally entitled to work can do so."

 

Responding to the protesters' claims, the spokesman said more than one in five of the 4,842 workers on the Olympic Park were resident in the five host boroughs and more than half lived in London.

 

He added: "The ODA is committed to fair employment standards and positive industrial relations on the Olympic Park.

 

"There are high levels of direct employment on the site and an agreement with construction unions includes national wage rate agreements, training and local employment."

 

 

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